1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a network facsimile apparatus connectable to a network such as a LAN and the like and relates to a channel selecting method for a facsimile relay apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Internet facsimile apparatuses (hereinafter referred to as IFAX) are used as a network facsimile apparatus connectable to a network such as a LAN and the like. IFAX is provided with a facsimile communication function and an e-mail communication function. This provision converts image information of e-mail sent from a PC and the like to facsimile data, and can relay and transfer facsimile data to a requested destination.
Moreover, IFAX determines whether e-mail subjected to relay request is sent from an authorized user or a third party by use of a password for relay permission. In a case where IFAX receives e-mail with no password or e-mail with a different password, IFAX is designed such that this e-mail is neither relayed nor transferred.
Furthermore, in IFAXes, there is IFAX to which a plurality of different network channels is connected.
In this kind of IFAX, the type of channel to be used in relaying e-mail must be adjusted to the type of channel, which is used by a facsimile apparatus at an e-mail transfer destination. However, the type of channel, which is used by a facsimile apparatus at an e-mail transfer destination, is not recognized at the IFAX side. Moreover, in the e-mail relay system using the conventional IFAX, IFAX cannot designate the channel to be used in transferring image information of e-mail at the relay request side. For this reason, IFAX side decides one-sidedly the network channel to be used in relaying e-mail. This causes a problem in which IFAX cannot select an appropriate channel, so that transfer of e-mail cannot be carried out.